sec 3n hist (elec) chapter 2.2: stalin's rule
TRANSCRIPT
Stalin’s Soviet UnionTo what extent did Stalin’s dictatorship devastate the Soviet Union?
Part 3
Recall previous lessonsWe learnt about:
What is COMMUNISMHow Russia became communistReasons for Stalin’s rise to power
Non-disclosure of Lenin’s TestamentTrotsky’s unpopularityStalin’s manipulations
Stalin’s Soviet UnionBy 1929, he had removed/executed all his opponentsHe was now the Supreme Ruler of USSR
To what extent did Stalin’s dictatorship
devastate the Soviet Union?
Dictatorship – a form of government where political authority is held by ONE
person
Was Stalin a Good or Bad ruler??
Stalin’s Soviet UnionEconomic Impact
Political Impact
Social Impact
Economic ImpactSoviet Union’s economy had been devastated by WW1 and civil warStalin wanted to modernise the economy to achieve Western standardsSeries of 5 year plans for agricultural and industrial developments
Economic Impact
Rapid Industrialisation
Industrial
Collectivisation
Agricultural
Economic Impact: NEP -
CollectivisationBefore
Lenin’s New Economic Policy (NEP)Farmers allowed to own landAllowed to sell extra for profitsA new class of wealthy peasants formed – KULAKS
Some kulaks hoarded crops to increase profits**People in cities affected
Economic Impact: Collectivisation
Merging of small individual farms into larger collective farms aka Kolkhozy
Believed to be more efficiently farmed through use of tractors
Economic Impact: Collectivisation
Land owned by stateEquipment provided by stateWorking hours, wages and quantity produced fixed by stateExcess crops exported to raise funds for industrialisationFarmers punished if target not met
Economic Impact: Collectivisation
State provided equipments. (increased efficiency)
Fewer farm workers needed
More can go work in
factories in the city
Economic Impact: Collectivisation
But what happened then?Kulaks killed their own animals, hid or burnt their cropsHarvests dropped dramaticallyState continued to collect grain it needed to feed cities and export
Great Famine 1932 – 1933 (death of millions)Stalin viewed it as a GREAT SUCCESS and publicised it as such
So, was Collectivisation Beneficial
or Not?
Economic Impact: Rapid
IndustrialisationHundreds of new factories were built, workforce expandedFactorises in cities would produce equipment for the mechanisation of farmingLess farm workers required, more could go into the factories in the cityEmphasis placed on heavy industries – coal, iron, steel electricity
Working hours and wages fixed
Magnitogorsk – Iron and Steel producer
Video (John Scott)
Economic Impact: Rapid
IndustrialisationGenerally considered a SUCCESSBy 1941, Soviet Union was an industrial base for powerful arms industry
Economic Impact: Rapid
IndustrialisationHOWEVER,Little growth in consumer industriesNot efficient as some parts of the economy faced underproduction, others overproductionQuality was also substandard and hazardous in a bid to meet targets
Did Stalin’s Economic Policies HELP or HURT
the Soviet Union?
Stalin’s Soviet UnionEconomic Impact
Political Impact
Social Impact
Political ImpactFORCED COLLECTIVSATIONLOW WAGESHARSH TREATMENT OF WORKERS
Eventually, the Communist Party and Stalin became very unpopular
Political ImpactThe Great Terror (1934 – 1938)Propaganda
Political Impact: The Great Terror
(1934 – 38)Consolidate power
Enforce Party disciplineCreated a series of PURGES to remove his enemies and any oppositionPeriod of SHOW TRIALS, arrests and interrogation, police surveillance and executions
Political Impact: The Great Terror
(1934 – 38)Show trials got rid of political opponents such as Kamenev, Zinoviev and BukharinMany confessed to crimes they did not commit and executed after being tortured or family threatened
Secret Police forced people to inform on their friends and familyMany were killed/arrested/sent to labour camps (GULAGS) where they died from poor conditionsBy 1937, around 40 million people have died
Political Impact: The Great Terror
(1934 – 38)Gulags – Labour Camps
Political Impact: The Great Terror
(1934 – 38)Who did Stalin eliminate
Why Result
Political Opponents May overthrow him --
Red Army Leaders Strong Trotsky connections
- Lost experienced commanders and leaders
- Affected WW2Scientists/ Engineers
Opposition to Stalin
- Lost skilled workers
- Affected quality of goods produced
Teachers May organise opposition of Stalin
- Quality of education affected
Administrators Works in the government
- Less effective management of government
Political Impact: Propaganda
What is Propaganda?Official Government communications in forms of posters, songs, newspaper articles etc, designed to influence the public opinion. Information may by true or false, but is always carefully selected for political effect
Political Impact: Propaganda
Political Impact: Propaganda
Stalin carefully controlled how he was representedPictures and posters were put up everywhereAll achievements and successes credited to StalinArtists, moviemakers, authors praised him in their worksStalin created a CULT OF PERSONALITY
Political Impact: Propaganda
Political Impact: Propaganda
Large portions of Soviet history was rewritten to boost Stalin’s status or discredit his rivalsPhotographs edited to remove unwanted peopleAll of these made Stalin the undisputable leader of the Soviet Union
Stalin’s Soviet UnionEconomic Impact
Political Impact
Social Impact
Social ImpactState control of societyLiving in fearImpact on various social groups (women and minorities)
Social Impact: State control of society
State became only legal distributor of services such as:
HousingEducationHealth servicesVacation destinations etc.
Party members were given preferential treatment
Social Impact: State control of society
Fall in the standard of livingPeople moved to the city from the farmsIncreased in population in city made shortage of housing a problemPeople not allowed to buy land or build houses as these were controlled by the stateState assigned housingMany lived in cramp conditions without running water
Social Impact: State control of society
FamineFarms owned by stateFarmers could not keep their own produceState did not distribute stockpiled grainSold overseas to raise funds for industrialisation7 million people died
Social Impact: Living in fear
Secret police had informers everywherePeople were constantly watched and judgedIf judged poorly, they may find it difficult to get jobs, housing or holidaysMay be sent to labour camps or killed
Social Impact: Impact on social groups
Minority groups lost their autonomy
Creation of the ‘New Soviet Man’Women’s entry into the workforce
However, Soviet women were expected to fulfil both the role of worker AND housewife
Compulsory schooling and increased literacy ratesKomsomol (Communist Union of Youth)
Stalin’s Soviet UnionEconomic Impact
Political Impact
Social Impact
Economic• Collectivisation• Rapid
Industrialisation
Political• Great Terror• Propaganda
Social• State control of
society• Living in fear• Impact of
policies on various social groups